Craft Points

This variant is designed specifically for campaigns that don’t offer a lot of “downtime” to the PCs. It unifies the rules for crafting items and creating magic items, while also replicating a character’s ability to come up with just the thing he needs for a specific task in the nick of time. It glosses over the realities of such work-tool kits, alchemical reagents, laboratories, long hours of toil, and the like—to keep the game moving along at an exciting pace. After all, fighting giants, demons, and dragons is generally a lot more fun than waiting for Klamzo to finish crafting a new ring of protection.

To craft an item without spending the normal labor time, a character with the appropriate item creation feat (such as Craft Masterwork Armor, Brew Potion, or Craft Staff; see below) can pay one-tenth the item’s market price in craft points (minimum 1 point). He must also pay material costs equal to one-half the item’s market price (this replaces the normal material cost for crafting an item). For a magic item, the character must also pay the normal experience point cost for crafting the item. Once the character declares that he is spending these craft points and gold pieces (and experience points, for a magic item), the item is automatically completed one day later (typically the next morning).

Though this makes it appear as if the item was created “instantly,” the assumption is that the character has actually been working on it for a while, but only now got around to finishing it. For instance, Klamzo might have been tinkering with Kroh’s sword for some time, but only now has finished improving its enhancement bonus. The system simply assumes that characters are always working on various projects in their spare time, whether between forays into the dungeon, while on the road, or even while gathered around the campfire after battling goblins in the Sunless Citadel. Thus, when the time comes, they simply spend the requisite gold and craft points, and the item is “finished” one day later.

To spend craft points toward the creation of an alchemical, masterwork, or magic item, you must have the requisite Craft feat (such as Craft Masterwork Armor for creating a masterwork chain shirt) or assist someone who does (see Assisting, below). Crafting nonmasterwork armor and weapons or simple items—tools, chests, saddles, and the like—doesn’t require a Craft feat. Anyone who helps with the creation of such an item can contribute craft points at the normal rate.

For nonmagical items, you must make a successful Craft check to complete the item. For a masterwork item, use the DC of the item or of the masterwork component, whichever is higher. A failed check means you waste one-half of the gold pieces and craft points required for the item, but you may try again as soon as the next day if you still have enough gold pieces and craft points to complete the item. Magic items require no skill check to complete.

You can reduce the amount of craft points required by increasing the amount of time you spend working on the item. For nonmagical items, reduce the craft point cost by 1 point for every 100 sp of work you contribute to the item’s creation (see the Craft skill). For magic items, each 8-hour day spent working on the item reduces the craft point cost by 100.

Table: Sample Crafted Items

Item

Market Price

Craft Cost

Does not require a Craft feat.

The market prices and craft costs for these items assume that you already have the masterwork item to be enhanced.

Arrows, 1001

10 gp

5 gp, 1 craft

Acid

10 gp

5 gp,1 craft

Chainmail1

20 gp

10 gp, 2 craft

Lock, simple1

20 gp

10 gp, 2 craft

Scroll of cure light wounds

25 gp

12.5 gp, 1 XP, 2 craft

Greatsword1

50 gp

25 gp, 5 craft

Masterwork chainmail

170 gp

85 gp, 17 craft

Potion of cure moderate wounds

300 gp

150 gp, 6 XP, 30 craft

Masterwork greatsword

350 gp

175 gp, 35 craft

+ 1 chainmail2

1,000 gp

500 gp, 40 XP, 100 craft

Ring of protection + 1

2,000 gp

1,000 gp, 80 XP, 200 craft

+1 greatsword2

2,000 gp

1,000 gp, 80 XP, 200 craft

Wand of fireball

11,250 gp

5,625 gp, 450 XP, 1,125 craft

Gloves of Dexterity +4

16,000 gp

8,000 gp, 640 XP, 1,600 craft

+5 chainmail2

25,000 gp

12,500 gp, 1,000 XP, 2,500 craft

+5 greatsword2

50,000 gp

25,000 gp, 2,000 XP, 5,000 craft

Robe of the archmagi

75,000 gp

37,500 gp, 3,000 XP, 7,500 craft

Tome of understanding +5

137,500 gp

68,750 gp, 5,500 XP, 13,750 craft

Staff of power

200,000 gp

100,000 gp, 8,000 XP, 20,000 craft

Example One

A masterwork suit of full plate armor has a market price of 1,650 gp. A character with the Craft Armor feat could pay one-third of this price and make daily or weekly Craft (armorsmith) checks to slowly complete the suit of armor, or he could pay one-half of this price and spend 165 craft points to complete it one day later with a successful DC 20 Craft check. (A failed check at this point would cost him 412 gp and 82 craft points.) Alternatively, he could spend some days or weeks working on the item (making regular Craft checks), then finish it quickly by spending craft points equal to 165 minus 1 per 100 sp of work he has already completed.

Example Two

A +2 longsword has a market price of 8,000 gp (not including the material cost of the masterwork longsword itself). Assuming you had the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat (and didn’t have to make the masterwork longsword from scratch), you could either spend 8 days of time to craft the item, or you could spend 800 craft points to finish it “instantly.” (In either case, you have to spend 4,000 gp in addition to the time or craft points.) If you wanted, you could save 200 craft points by spending two 8-hour days working on the item.

Assisting

In addition to the primary crafter who must have the appropriate Craft feat up to three assistants can contribute craft points to the creation of the item.

Assistants who have the appropriate Craft feat contribute craft points at full normal value. For untrained assistants (those who don’t have the appropriate Craft feat), each craft point contributed counts as 1/2 point of assistance.

The primary creator must contribute at least half of the craft points required to create an item.

It doesn’t matter who contributes the gold piece cost that goes toward creating the item. Only the primary creator can contribute experience points toward the creation of a magic item.

For example, Kroh has 1,000 gp and a masterwork sword, and wants to help Klamzo imbue the sword with a +1 enhancement bonus (turning it into a +1 longsword). This task would normally cost 200 craft points. Klamzo must supply at least half of this, or 100. Kroh doesn’t have Craft Magic Arms and Armor, so he must spend twice as many craft points to achieve the same contribution. Assuming he’s the only assistant, he could contribute up to half the effort required to achieve the goal (100 craft points). Since his craft points only count for half value, he has to spend 200 craft points to contribute 100 points worth of value. When those 200 points are added to Klamzo’s contribution, the gold pieces spent on materials, and the masterwork longsword, the process is complete.

If Freeble (also untrained) assisted Klamzo as well, the two assistants combined could still contribute no more than the equivalent of 100 craft points (half the total craft point cost). However, each would have to spend only 100 craft points (50 points of value each) to achieve this goal.

Gaining Craft Points

Table: Craft Points Gained By Level

CharacterLevel

Craft PointsGained

TotalCraft Points1

Subtract any craft points already spent from this total, and add any craft points gained from feats.

1st

100

100

2nd

200

300

3rd

300

600

4th

400

1,000

5th

500

1,500

6th

600

2,100

7th

700

2,800

8th

800

3,600

9th

900

4,500

10th

1,000

5,500

11th

1,100

6,600

12th

1,200

7,800

13th

1,300

9,100

14th

1,400

10,500

15th

1,500

12,000

16th

1,600

13,600

17th

1,700

15,300

18th

1,800

17,100

19th

1,900

19,000

20th

2,000

21,000

A 1st-level character has 100 craft points. With each class level gained, he gains a number of craft points equal to his new level × 100. A 2nd-level character can have as many as 300 craft points, and so forth, all the way up to a 20th-level character, who would have a total of 21,000 craft points (assuming he never spent any).

Creatures with Intelligence of 3 or higher have craft points as a character whose level equals their class levels + Hit Dice. A night nag (8 HD), for instance, has the craft points of an 8th-level character. If that night nag gained a class level, it would gain an additional 900 craft points. Of course, not all creatures can use their craft points—despite being at least reasonably intelligent, a griffon or pegasus is unlikely to be in a position to craft an item or assist another character in crafting an item. The game master must use his best judgment when determining whether a creature can use its craft points.

Creatures with Intelligence of 2 or lower (or without an Intelligence score) never gain craft points.

Familiars or special mounts never gain craft points, regardless of their intelligence or Hit Dice.

Item Creation Feats

Each time you gain an item creation feat, you gain additional craft points as noted on Table: Item Creation Feats. You don’t have to spend these craft points on items appropriate to the feat-you can spend them on any item. For example, Craft Masterwork Weapon grants a bonus of 100 craft points, which you can use to craft weapons, armor, potions, or any other item.

In addition to the standard item creation feats, this variant includes a number of feats dedicated to the creation of nonmagic items. Table: Item Creation Feats gives appropriate new prerequisites for all item creation feats, including the standard ones.

Table: Item Creation Feats

Feat

Prerequisites

Craft Points Gained

Brew Potion

Caster level 3rd

1,500

Craft Alchemical Item

Craft (alchemy) 4 ranks

100

Craft Magic Arms and Armor

Caster level 5th

2,500

Craft Masterwork Armor

Craft (armorsmith) 6 ranks

100

Craft Masterwork Ranged Weapon

Craft (bowyer) 6 ranks

100

Craft Masterwork Weapon

Craft (weaponsmith) 6 ranks

100

Craft Rod

Caster level 9th

4,500

Craft Staff

Caster level 12th

6,000

Craft Wand

Caster level 5th

2,500

Craft Wondrous Item

Caster level 3rd

1,500

Forge Ring

Caster level 12th

6,000

Scribe Scroll

Caster level 1st

500

Talented Crafter

Any other item creation feat

500

Craft Alchemical Item [Item Creation]

You are capable of creating alchemical items and substances.

Prerequisite

Craft (alchemy) 4 ranks.

Benefit

You gain 100 craft points. You may use craft points to create alchemical items or substances, such as acid or tanglefoot bags.

You may spend your craft points to create alchemical items or substances at a rate of 1 craft point per 10 gp of market value of the finished item (minimum 1), even without spending the requisite creation time at work on the item.

Special

If you take the requisite creation time at work on the item, you spend only 1 craft point per 50 gp of market value of the finished item (minimum 1).

This feat replaces the requirement of being a spellcaster in order to craft alchemical items as listed in the Craft skill.

Normal

Characters without this feat cannot craft alchemical items.

Craft Masterwork Armor [Item Creation]

You are trained in the creation of fine armor and shields.

Prerequisite

Craft (armorsmithing) 6 ranks.

Benefit

You gain 100 craft points. You may use craft points to create masterwork armor or shields.

You may spend your craft points to build masterwork armor or shields at a rate of 1 craft point per 10 gp of market value of the finished item (minimum 1), even without spending the requisite creation time at work on the item.

Special

If you take the requisite creation time at work on the item, you spend only 1 craft point per 50 gp of market value of the finished item (minimum 1).

Normal

Characters without this feat can only craft nonmasterwork armor or shields.

Craft Masterwork Ranged Weapon [Item Creation]

You are trained in the creation of fine ranged weapons and ammunition, such as bows, crossbows, and arrows.

Prerequisite

Craft (bowmaking) 6 ranks.

Benefit

You gain 100 craft points. You may use craft points to create a masterwork ranged weapon or masterwork ammunition.

You may spend your craft points to build ranged weapons or ammunition at a rate of 1 craft point per 10 gp of market value of the finished item, even without taking the requisite creation time at work on the item.

Normal

Characters without this feat can only craft nonmasterwork ranged weapons.

Craft Masterwork Weapon [Item Creation]

You are trained in the creation of fine melee and thrown weapons, such as swords, maces, daggers, and shortspears.

Prerequisite

Craft (weaponsmithing) 6 ranks.

Benefit

You gain 100 craft points. You may use craft points to create a masterwork melee or thrown weapon.

You may spend your craft points to build masterwork melee or thrown weapons at a rate of 1 craft point per 10 gp of market value of the finished item, even without taking the requisite creation time at work on the item.

Normal

Characters without this feat can only craft nonmasterwork melee or thrown weapons.

Talented Crafter [General]

You have an extraordinary talent for item creation.

Prerequisite

Any item creation feat.

Benefits

You gain 500 craft points, which may be used to craft items of any kind.

Special

You may select this feat multiple times. Each time you select it, you gain an additional 500 craft points.

A wizard may select this feat as one of her bonus feats gained at every fifth level.